Bottle closure



United States Patent M 3,169,656 BUTTLE CLGSURE Gerhard Wiecimiann, 7766 Goddard Ave, Los Angeles 45, Calif. Filed Apr. 17, 196E, Ser. Jo. 193347 8 Claims. (Ci. 215-4il) The present invention relates generally to the field of bottle closures, and more particularly to an improved liner for effecting a fluid-tight seal between a cap and the neck of a bottle. The present application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending patent application entitled Bottle Closure filed February 27, 1959, under Serial No. 796,072 now abandoned.

The forms of closures commonly used in sealing the neck of a bottle or container are a crown cap that removably engages a protruding circular bead, a resilient stopper that frictionally engages the interior surface of the bottle neck, and a screw-on cap that engages threads formed on the exterior surface of a bottle or container. Each different type of closure has certain inherent disadvantages which render it unsatisfactory for use in sealing the neck of a bottle containing liquids under pressure such as carbonated beverages, and the like.

A resilient liner, usually made of cork, is used with the crown cap, one advantage of which is that it is particularly adapted for use on high-speed bottling lines where it is impacted into frictional engagement with the bead on the neck of a bottle with a very substantial force. However, to a degree, the crown cap is permanently deformed during this capping operation, and after removal thereof from a bottle neck, it is irnpossible to again position it thereon to effect a truly fluid-tight seal.

A further disadvantage of the crown cap is that oftentimes scratches and striations are formed in the uppermost extremity of the bead on the neck of a bottle during use, which extend thereacross and serve as fluidconducting channels to permit escape of gas under pressure from the interior of a bottle into the ambient atmosphere. These scratches and striations are normally of such minute transverse cross sections as not to be sealed by the cork liner at the force such a liner usually exerts on the bead of the bottle neck. Also, the actual fluid seal is effected by the crown cap and cork liner, and as the structures of two pieces of corkare never the same nor are the surface characteristics of the sealable portions of two heads on the necks of bottles that have been used several times ever the same, it is literally impossible to at all times obtain a truly fluid-tight seal on the bead of such a bottle by the conventional crown cap.

A resilient stopper engages a substantial portion of the interior surface of the neck of a bottle that normally has a surface free from scratches and striations. A stopper of cork, rubber or other resilient material is capable of effecting a very satisfactory fluid seal with such a surface. However, such stoppers must be used with bottle necks having relatively uniform interior bores in order to be consistently effective, which is not common practice in the bottle industry unless the bottle manufacturer is paid a premium therefor. The usual practice is to maintain the external diameter of the bottle neck at a close tolerance and allow the variations in neck size to take place on the interior thereof. Thus, if stoppers of a standard size are forcefully inserted in the necks of a plurality of bottles with a uniform force, some of the stoppers will be laterally compressed more than others due to variations in the transverse cross section of the bores in the necks, whereby there can be no uniformity in the force required to extract the stoppers from the necks. In addition, cork stoppers deteriorate with age when in the neck of a bottle, frequently to the extent that 3,159,656 Patented Feb. 16, 1965 they break or split when subjected to sufficient force to remove them out of sealing position.

The screw-on cap, like the crown cap, relies on a resilient liner to effect a fluid-tight seal with the uppermost ring-shaped surface of a bottle neck. Scratches or striations in this ring-shaped surface render it literally impossible to effect a truly fluid-tight seal with a cork liner unless an excessive force is applied to the liner by means of the cap. Usually when such an excessive force is applied to the liner by the cap, the cap will break at the circumferential junction between the top and side wall there of. To heavy-up the structure of the cap or fabricate the cap from a material having improved physical characteristics, is in most instances an unsatisfactory solution to the problem because of the increased cost of the closure assembly.

A major object of the present invention is to provide an improved liner for bottle closures that can be fabricated from a polymerized resin which is of simple mechanical structure, can be used to effectively seal the necks of bottles having scratches and striations formed in the uppermost surfaces thereof and may be used to effectively seal the necks of bottles in which the diameter of the bores thereof may vary over a very substantial range.

A further object of the invention is to provide liners for bottle and container closures, each of which is identical in structure and physical characteristics and effect one seal with the interior surface of a bottle neck or container "'oat by radial deformation of the liner, and which effects a second seal with the interior surface of a cap by compressive deformation of the liner.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a liner by which a primary seal is effected by radial d formation thereof, and which permits a true fluid-tight seal to be efiected without application of excessive force on the screw-on type of cap.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a liner that will minimize rejection of the number of capped containers due to leakage or split caps caused by excessive forces applied thereto during capping thereof.

A further object of the invention is to furnish a linerfor bottle closures which will permit capping with the speed attainable with crown caps and which provides the sealing advantages achieved by use of resilient stoppers without the disadvantages of either the crown cap or stopper described in detail hereinabove.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred and alternate forms thereof and from the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the preferred form of the invention shown positioned in a bottle neck having a bore of the maximum diameter with which the liner can be utilized;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the preferred form of the invention shown disposed in a bottle neck having a bore of the minimum diameter with which the liner can be used;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the preferred form of liner;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an alternate form of liner capable of being used with a crown cap, with the liner and cap so disposed that the cap can be forced downwardly to frictionally engage the bead on a bottle neck;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the cap and liner in a liner in a fluid-sealing position on the head of a bottle neck;

FEGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of a second form of bead now commercially em- 3 ployed that can be engaged by the crown cap shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 and FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of a third form of bead currently in commercial use that can be engaged by the crown cap shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

Referring now to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 for the general arrangement of the preferred form of the invention, it will be seen that a liner A is provided that is a circular sheet of a polymerized resin, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, formed by conventional means to define a central circular area B having a continuous wall C extending downwardly from the periphery thereof.

The lower circumferential edge of wall C develops into an outwardly extending annulus-shaped web D that has an upper concave surface 10 and a lower convex surface 12. The outer circumferential edge of web D develops into a flat ring-shaped flange E having an upper surface 14 and a lower surface 16.

A cap F is provided, preferably molded or otherwise formed from a polymerized resin, that includes a circular top 18 having a cylindrical side wall 20 depending from the circumferential edge thereof. Threads 22 are formed on the interior surface of side wall 20 that are adapted to engage threads 24 formed on the exterior surface of a neck 26 of the bottle or container 28. The exterior diameter of the neck 26 will, as is common in the manufacture of bottles, be held to a close tolerance. However, the diameter of the bore 30 that extends downwardly through neck 26 may vary from a maximum diameter G as shown in FIGURE 1 to a minimum diameter H as illustrated in FIGURE 2. The bore 30 in what is known in the trade as a Size 28 bottle may range from a maximum of .890 inch to a minimum of .625 inch in diameter. The internal diameter of flange E is substantially greater than the diameter G. Neck 26 has an upwardly and outwardly extending ring-shaped surface 32, the lower end of which merges with the surface of bore 30, with the upper end thereof merging with a flat ring-shaped surface 34 that is the upper extremity of the neck.

The top 18 (FIGURE 1) is formed with a central portion 36 of heavier wall section than the balance of the top. A recess 37 extends upwardly in the top portion 36, which recess is of such depth and configuration that the wall C and central area B can be snugly disposed therein to support the liner A within the confines of cap F.

The internal diameter of flange E is slightly greater than the internal diameter of the ring-shaped surface 34, so that as the cap F is screwed down on neck 26, the outer portion of surface 12 is first forced into resillient fluid-sealing contact with the surface 32. After this first seal is effected, further downward movement of cap F on neck 26 brings the flange E into abutting contact with the surface 34. The last downward movement of cap F on neck 26 causes the flange E to be compressed between the lower surface 38 of top 18 and surface 34 on neck 26.

As described hereinabove, very often scratches and striations (not shown) are formed on surface 34 which prevent the formation of a fluid-tight seal between this surface and the lower surface 16 of flange E. However, this is of no consequence, for the outer portion of surface 12 has already effected a fluid-tight seal with surface 32 before flange E is compressed between the lower surface 38 of top 18 and surface 34 on neck 26.

Surface 38 is smooth, and a fluid-tight seal is effected between this surface and surface 14 of flange B when the flange is under compression. In FIGURE 1 it will be seen that gas under pressure in bottle 28 could seep upwardly between the interior surface of recess 37, wall C and central area B to discharge into a confined annulusshaped space 40 defined by surface 10 and surface 38. Gas will continue to flow from the interior of bottle 28 4. to space until equilibrium is established therebet'ween. Gas under pressure in space 49 is prevented from escaping to the ambient atmosphere by the seal that is effected between the surface 38 and flange surface 14.

In FIGURE 2 a neck 26 is shown that is structurally the same as neck 26, but which has a bore 30' of the minimum diameter that can be used with liner A extending downwardly therein. When the cap F is screwed downwardly on neck 26', the web D is radially deformed to a greater extent than when the liner A was used on neck 26. The radial deformation of liner A on neck 26' is so great that not only does the surface 12 pressure contact surface 32', but a part of the surface defining the bore 30 as well. Due to this increased deformation of web D, an outer circumferential portion 42 of the web is disposed above the flat ring-shaped surface 34' of neck 26' and pressed downwardly into contact therewith as cap F is screwed onto neck 26'.

When liner A is used on the neck 26, the first seal effected as the cap F is screwed downwardly thereon occurs between the surface 12 of web D and the surface 32, which seal is completed as additional portions of the surface 12 are deformed into fluid-sealing contact with the surface of bore 36. This type of seal is also effected by liner A on the neck of a bottle (not shown) having a bore diameter that lies between the maximum diameter G and minimum diameter H. The second seal on neck 26' is completed as cap F is fully screwed thereon when the upper surface 14 of flange E and the upper surface of web portion 42 is pressure contacted by the lower surface 38 of cap F.

A first alternate form of liner J is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 that is particularly adapted for use with a crown cap K. When a substantial downward force is exerted thereon the crown cap K is radially expanded to grip the exterior surface of a circular projecting bead L forming the upper portion of a bottle neck M. As is conventional with such devices, cap K includes a slightly convex circular top 44 that has a crimped or serrated cylindrical side Wall 46 extending downwardly from the circumferential edge thereof. The neck M is defined by an inner cylindrical surface 47, the top of which develops into a circular upwardly and outwardly curving surface 48. At substantially the center of the bead L, the surface 48 develops into a downwardly and outwardly extending sur face 50, the lower end of which merges into a circumferentially extending surface 52 of concave configuration into which crimped portions 54 of side wall 46 extend when the cap K is in a sealing position on neck M.

The first alternate liner J is preferably formed of a resilient polymerized resin such as polyethylene or polypropylene having separate hollow cells 56 therein that are not connected to one another. The production of such a polymerized resin with hollow non-connected cells therein is well known in the plastics art and need not be described herein. The polymerized resin chosen for use in fabricating the first alternate liner J as well as the liner A, must be one that is substantially impervious to the passage of gas or air therethrough within the pressure range encountered in containers utilized for carbonated beverages.

The liner J includes a circular sheet 58 of such size as to fit snugly within the confines of side wall 46 and abut against the lower surface 60 of top 44. An annulusshaped rib 62 projects downwardly from the lower circumferential portion of sheet 58 and is preferably formed as an integral part thereof. The lower surface of rib 62 is of convex transverse configuration.

In FIGURE 4 the cap K and liner I are shown in position ready to receive a substantial downward force thereon to place it in frictional gripping contact with head L. Very often during use, scratches and striations (not shown) are formed on the upper extremities of the curved surfaces 48 and 56 of bead L, and with a conventional cork liner it is quite diflicult to obtain a fluid-tighf seal with these defaced surfaces. However, when the first lternate form I of the liner is used with the crown cap K, these scratches and striations do not prevent an efiective fluid-tight seal between the cap K and bead L.

The cap K is shown in FIGURE 5 after it has been moved downwardly relative to bead L to the extent that frictional holding engagement is achieved therebetween. The force exerted on cap K in placing it in this position also radially deforms the rib 62. Radial deformation of rib 62 causes the formation of two downwardly extending concave portions 62a and 62b that are in pressure fluid-sealing contact with circumferentially extending vportions of the bead surfaces 48 and 50. It will be particularly noted that the deformed rib portion 62a also extends downwardly over the upper part of bore surface 47. The lower portions of the surfaces 48 and 58 as well as the bore surface 47 are normally free of scratches and striations, and these non-defaced surfaces effect a fluid-tight seal by pressure contact with the deformed rib portions 62a and 62b. Although a portion 620 of the deformed rib 62 (FIGURE 5 is in contact with the upper portions of surfaces 48 and 5-0 where scratches and striations would normally be located, this contact is merely incidental to the invention and the sealing characteristics thereof are not relied upon.

The primary seal attained when rib 62 is deformed, as shown in FIGURE 5, is that effected by the pressure contact between rib portion 624, the curved surface 48, and the bore surface 47. A secondary seal is effected by pressure contact between the interior surface of deformed rib portion 62b and the lower part of the bead surface 62b, which lower part is normally free of scratches and striations.

When the cap K is removed from neck M, due to the resiliency thereof the liner I immediately returns to the configuration shown in FIGURE 4. Accordingly, a crown cap K with a first alternate form of liner I can be used over and over again to seal the neck M of a bottle.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate the cross section of other beaded bottles in current every day use. The neck structure shown in FIGURE 6 is identified as M, and that in FIGURE 7 by the notation M". Bottles having necks M and 1V can also be sealed by use of the crown cap K and liner J, just as efiiciently as the neck M shown in FIGURE 4.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A closure assembly for use on the externally threaded tubular discharge member of a container having an external diameter and an internal bore that may vary in diameter between a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum value, said assembly including: a cap having a circular top from which a cylindrical side wall depends, said side wall having threads formed on the interior thereof for engaging said exterior threads on said discharge member, and said top having a recess for-med therein that extends upwardly from the lower sur face thereof and defines a surrounding wall; and a formed circular sheet of resilient material defining a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into an annulus-shaped web having a convex lower surface, the outer edge of which web develops into a tring-shaped flange 'with the internal diameter of said flange being slightly greater than said predetermined maximum diameter of said bore, said continuous side wall being removably disposable Within said recess to engage the surrounding Wall thereof to hold said formed sheet at a fixed position relative to said cap when said sheet is disposed within the confines of said side wall, with said formed sheet effecting a first seal when a circumferentially extending segment of said lower web convex surface contacts an upper interior surface of said bore as said cap is screwed downwardly on said neck, and a second seal being formed as said cap continues to be screwed downwardly on said neck when at least a portion of the upper surface of said flange is pressure contacted by the interior surface of said cap top to press the lower surface of said flange in sealing contact against the top surface of the tubular discharge member, said formed sheet also having a portion of the surface area of the lower convex surface in sealing contact with the top surface of the tubular discharge member when said diameter of said bore is less than said predetermined maximum.

2. A closure assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the surrounding wall of said recess portion is of inverted frusto-conical shape as is the portion of said formed sheet defining said central area and continuous wall, which inverted frusto-conical portion is deformable to fit within said recess and removably support said for-med sheet from said cap.

3. A sealing liner as defined in claim 1 wherein said central area is disposed above the upper surface of said flange when said liner is in a non-deformed position.

4. A closure assembly for use on the externally threaded tubular discharge member of a container having a sealing lip, the sealing lip of said discharge member also having an external diameter and an internal bore that may vary in diameter between a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum value, said assembly including: a cap having a circular top from which a cylindrical side wall depends, said side wall having threads formed on the interior thereof for engaging said exterior threads on said discharge member, and said top also being formed with a surrounding wall on the lower surface thereof; and a formed circular sheet of resilient material defining a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into an annulus-shaped web having a convex lower surface, the outer edge of which web develops into a ring-shaped flange with the internal diameter of said flange being slightly greater than said predetermined maximum diameter of said bore, said continuous side wall of said formed sheet being fixedly held within and by the surrounding wall of the cap top to hold said formed sheet at a fixed position relative to said cap when said sheet is disposed within the confines of said cap side wall, with said formed sheet effecting a first seal when a circumferentially extending segment of said lower web convex surface contacts the upper in terior surface of said bore as said cap is screwed downwardly on said neck, and a second seal being formed between the lower surface of the flange of said formed sheet and the sealing lip of the container when said cap continues to be screwed downwardly on said neck as at least a portion of the upper surface of said sheet is pressure contacted by the interior surface of said cap top, said formed sheet also having a portion of the lower surface area of the convex surface of the web in sealing contact with said sealing lip when said diameter of said bore is less than said predetermined maximum.

, 5. A closure assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said central area and an upper portion of said continuous wall are situated above the upper surface of said flange when said formed sheet is in a non-deformed position.

6. A closure assembly for use. on the externally threaded discharge member of a container, which discharge member has an internal bore that varies in diameter, said assembly including: a cap having internal screw threads for mounting on and enveloping the end of the discharge member, a circular sheet of resilient material that defines a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into an annulus-shaped web having a convex lower surface, the outer edge of which web develops into a ring-shaped flange; and means on said cap including side walls for rigidly holding said central area at a fixed position relative to the interior surface of said cap, which cap and formed sheet when moved downwardly on said discharge member eifect a first seal at the time a circumferentially extending segment of said lower convex surface of said web contacts an upper interior surface of said bore, with a second seal being formed on the top surface of the threaded discharge member by further downward movement of said cap and sheet as said flange and web are moved under pressure by the interior surface of said cap to bring the lower surfaces of the flange and the convex lower surface of the web into sealing contact with the top surface of the threaded discharge member surrounding the bore.

7. A closure assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said ring-shaped flange is substantially flat.

8. A closure assembly for use on the externally threaded tubular discharge member of a container having a sealing lip, the sealing lip of said discharge member also having an external diameter and an internal bore that may vary in diameter between a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum value, said assembly including: a cap having a top wall from which a substantially cylindrical side wall depends, said side wall having threads formed on the interior thereof for engaging said exterior threads on said discharge member, and said top also being formed with a surrounding wall on the lower surface thereof; and a formed circular sheet of resilient material defining a central area from which a continuous wall extends downwardly to develop into an annulus-shaped web having a convex lower surface, the outer edge of said web developing into a substantially flat ring-shaped flange with the internal diameter of said flange being greater than said predetermined maximum diameter of said internal bore, said continuous side wall of said formed sheet being fixedly held within and by the surrounding wall of the cap top to hold said formed sheet at a fixed position relative to said cap when said sheet is disposed within the confines of said cap side Wall,

which cap and said formed sheet effecting a first seal when a circumferentially extending segment of said lower web convex surface contacts the upper internal edge surface of said bore as said cap is screwed downwardly on said neck, and a second seal is formed between a circumferential segment of the lower surface of the flange of said formed sheet and the sealing lip of the container when said cap continues to be screwed downwardly on said neck as said flange is moved by the interior surface of said cap top contacting said sheet, said formed sheet also having a circumferential segment of the lower convex web surface in sealing contact with said sealing lip when the diameter of said internal bore is less than said predetermined maximum diameter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,910,913 Conner May 23, 1933 2,238,681 Dorough Apr. 15, 1941 2,901,139 Aregger Aug. 25, 1959 2,989,204 Marx June 20, 1961 3,053,407 Lowen Sept. 11, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 306,601 Switzerland July 1, 1955 523,527 Belgium Oct. 31, 1953 547,660 Belgium May 31, 1956 533,572 Italy Sept. 23, 1955 565,166 Belgium Mar. 15, 1958 

1. A CLOSURE ASSEMBLY FOR USE ON THE EXTERNALLY THREADED TUBULAR DISCHARGE MEMBER OF A CONTAINER HAVING AN EXTERNAL DIAMETER AND IN INTERNAL BORE THAT MAY VARY IN DIAMETER BETWEEN A PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM AND A PREDETERMINED MINIMUM VALUE, SAID ASSEMBLY INCLUDING: A CAP HAVING A CIRCULAR TOP FROM WHICH A CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL DEPENDS, SAID SIDE WALL HAVING THREADS FORMED ON THE INTERIOR THEREOF FOR ENGAGING SAID EXTERIOR THREADS ON SAID DISCHARGE MEMBER, AND SAID TOP HAVING A RECESS FORMED THEREIN THAT EXTENDS UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER SURFACE THEREOF AND DEFINES A SURROUNDING WALL; AND A FORMED CIRCULAR SHEET OF RESILIENT MATERIAL DEFINING A CENTRAL AREA FROM WHICH A CONTINUOUS WALL EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY TO DEVELOP INTO AN ANNULUS-SHAPED WEB HAVING A CONVEX LOWER SURFACE, THE OUTER EDGE OF WHICH WEB DEVELOPS INTO A RING-SHAPED FLANGE WITH THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID FLANGE BEING SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM DIAMETER OF SAID BORE, SAID CONTINUOUS SIDE WALL BEING REMOVABLY DISPOSABLE WITHIN SAID RECESS TO ENGAGE THE SURROUNDING WALL THEREOF TO HOLD SAID FORMED SHEET AT A FIXED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID CAP WHEN SAID SHEET IS DISPOSED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID SIDE WALL, WITH SAID FORMED SHEET EFFECTING A FIRST SEAL WHEN A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SEGMENT OF SAID LOWER WEB CONVEX SURFACE CONTACTS AN UPPER INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID BORE AS SAID CAP IS SCREWED DOWNWARDLY ON SAID NECK, AND A SECOND SEAL BEING FORMED AS SAID CAP CONTINUES TO BE SCREWED DOWNWARDLY ON SAID NECK WHEN AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID FLANGE IS PRESSURE CONTACTED BY THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID CAP TOP TO PRESS THE LOWER SURFACE OF SAID FLANGE IN SEALING CONTACT AGAINST THE TOP SURFACE OF THE TUBULAR DISCHARGE MEMBER, SAID FORMED SHEET ALSO HAVING A PORTION OF THE SURFACE AREA OF THE LOWEER CONVEX SURFACE IN SEALING CONTACT WITH THE TOP SURFACE OF THE TUBULAR DISCHARGE MEMBER WHEN SAID DIAMETER OF SAID BORE IS LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED MAXIMUM. 